WHY RISER SHAFT SAFETY REQUIRES A PROACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE APPROACH

April 09 2025

With building regulations seeing significant changes in recent years and more expected in the near future, it is essential anyone involved in the design and construction of riser shafts in new buildings is prepared for now and the future. Alex Bardett, Managing Director at Ambar Kelly, explains why the trend towards more stringent regulations is likely to continue and reveals how taking a proactive approach, rather than a reactive one, can ensure compliance, enhance fire safety, and keep projects on time and to budget.

The world is constantly evolving, with advancements in technology driving industry safety and quality standards, and sustainability gaining increasing significance with the UK’s 2050 net zero target rapidly approaching. Consequently, building regulations and standards are becoming ever-stringent.

With that in mind, it’s important to acknowledge exactly why that is.

Worker and occupant safety is paramount

The need for tighter regulations has been exacerbated by the recent Grenfell Tower inquiry, which highlighted the crucial significance of fire safety in high-risk buildings (HRB) and the critical role that non-combustible material plays.

Furthermore, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that falls from height were a leading cause of fatal injuries in the construction industry, with 50 deaths attributed to this between April 2023 and March 2024. This accounted for 36% of all worker deaths.

Therefore, ensuring the most comprehensive fire and fall protection in riser shafts is absolutely essential, prevention is better than cure – especially with riser shafts being unfinished chimneys during construction and then passages that connect every floor when complete.

Technological advancements dictating more sophisticated building codes

Advancements in technology continue apace, meaning the integration of innovative, sustainable new materials and products are leading to the design and construction of smarter buildings. A key example of this is the eight-year development of macro-enhanced modelling that embeds all interconnecting trades into a single model and enables cohesive decisions before manufacture and installation of the riser flooring system.

This implementation of technology will inevitably lead to more sophisticated building regulations – already being witnessed with the introduction of the Future Homes and Buildings Standard – and increase the importance of property developers, architects, and contractors moving with the times.

Growing demand driving stricter standards

With increasing demand for homes in cities across the UK, and these locations already being densely populated, the only way is up. This is heightening the need for building designers and developers to consider repurposing existing properties, as well as designing and building new residential properties with higher densities. Consequently, more UK buildings are likely to be impacted by the Building Safety Act’s HRB legislation.

This need to accommodate higher densities, all while balancing safety, efficiency, and accessibility, will likely drive tighter safety and quality standards, especially in HRBs.

Despite the increasingly stringent building and fire safety measures, many building designers take a reactive approach, instead of designing out risk proactively – passing on risk responsibility to the main contractor.

However, taking a holistic approach to building and riser shaft safety, and considering fall protection together with the often overlooked spread of smoke and flame in these shafts, can help developers and building owners comply with ever-changing regulations, future-proof their buildings, and ensure structural integrity.

Enhancing safety through a holistic approach

Ensuring building safety shouldn’t just be about reducing hazards once construction is in progress – keeping contractors and other workers safe throughout the building process fundamental.

With that in mind, proactively addressing riser shaft safety is vital, especially as it is the only area of multi-storey buildings without a regularly designed flooring requirement. Indeed, clear, safe, and well-designed riser shaft flooring that utilises the right materials and focuses on fire and fall protection will ensure a safe working environment.

This, of course, increases the importance of specifying and installing non-combustible materials. While GRP grating has been the more-commonly used fall protection product in recent years, it is combustible and will add fuel to any fire that occurs in a riser shaft.

The installation of non-combustible materials that achieve performance class A1 or A2 in accordance with the adopted standard will ensure the riser shaft won’t act as a vertical conduit for smoke and fire.

The importance of fall protection

While enhancing fire safety is of course imperative, it’s important not to forget about the risks of falls when working in riser shafts. This is especially pertinent given that falls from height in the construction industry lead to more deaths than in any other industry.

GRP grating – while commonly used in the construction industry – is, by intent, designed with holes throughout. This, of course, increases the risk of debris and contractor error and other on-site workers falling from height, and exacerbates the need for a more holistic approach to riser shaft design and the specification of materials and systems.

Therefore, taking a cohesive approach and designing riser shafts with the correct non-combustible flooring in mind enhance worker safety – if you have no hole, you have no risk.

Avoiding costly rework

When the design of riser shafts doesn’t consider riser flooring or all related elements, such as MEP, structural elements, and fire protection materials, problems can arise during construction or after occupants move in.

In fact, without the effective integration of riser flooring systems, misalignments with MEP systems and poor access points can often be the result – leading to significant rework and project delays that cost crucial time and money.

Conversely, early collaboration and proper coordination can ensure the riser shaft flooring is well-integrated into the building’s infrastructure. Macro-enhanced modelling software helps here, enabling the modular riser flooring system to be integrated into the building’s federated model – ensuring vital riser shaft cohesion.

This proactive approach will ensure a reduced need for reactive changes and rework and enable projects to be completed on time and to budget.

Ensuring regulatory compliance

With riser flooring systems integral to the safety and functionality of HRBs, ensuring they are designed with superior fire and fall safety in mind is critical. This provides peace of mind to developers, contractors, and building users, and ensures compliance with safety, accessibility, and standards.

This exacerbates the importance of taking a proactive approach when it comes to riser shaft design and construction. Integrating modular riser flooring systems into the overall riser shaft design, and indeed the design of the entire building, will enhance structural integrity and enable it to meet vital building regulations surrounding buildability, longevity, and safety.

Furthermore, utilising non-combustible materials and incorporating these early in the design process will ensure compliance with EN13501-1 and increase the likelihood of the project being passed through Gateways Two and Three.

With building regulations likely to tighten in the future, taking a proactive approach to riser shaft design, utilising advancements in technology, and specifying the finest non-combustible riser flooring products - such as RiserSafe – can help property developers, contractors, and building owners future-proof their buildings, reduce insurance costs enhancing worker and occupant safety, and comply with even the most stringent standards.